best grain

[former yankee]

Does anyone know the way to cut a branch "y" in a tree to get the best grain. The tree is a walnut. I dont know if I take off the front and back of the "y" or slice down the sides. Help please

 

[jeff...]

Slice it with the crotch laying as flat a possible on the mill bed. Toe up, trim crotch with a chainsaw enough for mill head to pass and flat saw till to get a good wide opening cut. Flip the log till the flat side is on the bed, don't toe. Flat saw again till to get a good wide opening cut and the heart is boxed. Flip log till one flat is square against the dogs, toe up small end and saw till that edge is square. Flip log again till bark face is up and flat is square with the dogs (don't toe) and flat saw till square and the heart is boxed. Remember sap wood in Walnut is not a defect, roll log over once and saw lumber to desired thickness don't flip the cant (book matching), continue to saw down to mill bed.

When you get down near the pith you'll notice crotch figure in a few of the boards, number depends on how thick you cut your lumber and the diameter of the log. Length of figure below the crotch is dependent upon how old the tree is, the older the longer the figure. If your log is not atleast 12" in diameter, you might consider making it into fire wood, cause you be lucky to get a 6x6 crotch cant out of it and that's a lot of work for a 6x6.

Later

 

[former yankee]

Thanks Jeff. I think I have that figured out. I will be doing all the cuts w/ a chain saw. Trying to get a gun stock blank. Finish size is 3 1/2 thick, 6" deep and 36" long. Wish me luck!

 

[jeff...]

just stay away from the pith and you'll be alright. I hav'nt cut much gun stock blanks, but what I have cut have been 8/4 thick, with a 3" thick blank that must be a mighty big gun you got there 8-O

 

[former yankee]

The blank needs to be a minimum 2 1/4 ( 9/4) thick. I am cutting this free hand so I'll err on the wide side. I dont want to take a chance of messing this up. By the way the gun is a 270 Weatherby. Truse me, it's a big gun. Thanks again

 

[jeff...]

The blank needs to be a minimum 2 1/4 ( 9/4) thick. I am cutting this free hand so I'll err on the wide side. I dont want to take a chance of messing this up. By the way the gun is a 270 Weatherby. Truse me, it's a big gun. Thanks again

Yep that's a big gun alright. Good idea going fat on the blank, free hand chainsawing ain't all that accurate. How big is the log you going to cut?

 

[former yankee]

I guess the tree is about 2 ft diamenter, 35-40 ft high. The limb is about 8 ft off the ground. I plan on getting the stump also. The tree hangs over a small stream and has a slight bend in it. My friend has a Jeep and is dieing to try his 9,000 lb winch. Dont think the stump will be a problem. I'll try to post some pix when we get them cut. The rest of it will be for bowl, toy and pen blanks. I can get the most bang for my buck this way:icon_thum Wish me luck